After running a gauntlet of several hundred of teachers chanting “Hey hey, ho ho, lying Liberals have got to go,” hopefuls for Premier Dalton McGuinty’s job spoke of the need for an olive branch to educators.

Outside, teachers and members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees furious at the wage-freeze Bill 115 that limited collective bargaining rights, were watched by police as they protested in an orderly fashion while spectators heading in for the debate were carefully screened.

The candidates joined Education Minister Laurel Broten’s call to teachers earlier in the day to resume volunteering their time for extracurricular activities.

“It was sports and student council that kept me going to school every day,” said Pupatello, who is from Windsor.

“Please, stand down,” she said of the boycott, pledging to invite teacher unions that helped the Liberals win the last three elections in for talks if she becomes premier at the leadership convention Jan. 25 to 27.

Gerard Kennedy, also a former education minister, said a “shift in outlook” is needed by the government toward teachers.

“We have to be prepared to respond . . . they feel a lack of respect,” he added.

“We’re prepared to acknowledge when things have gone off the rails.”

Never again can the government take the approach of Bill 115, said MPP Eric Hoskins, who voted for the legislation that was passed with support of the Progressive Conservatives last fall.

“That process that was put in place, it didn’t work,” Hoskins told the audience at the debate, which saw little disagreement and no fireworks between the candidates.

They also tackled questions posed by party officials on the state of Toronto and on Ontario’s economy.

MPP Glen Murray, a former mayor of Winnipeg, proposed putting a dent in the need for affordable housing by requiring help from condo developers at a time when tax revenues are scarce and the government is struggling to erase a $14-billion deficit.

“How can we be building so many condominiums and not have three or four per cent set aside for affordable housing?” he asked.

“We have to start doing things smarter. We can’t wait for more money to solve these problems.”

The debate was the last in a series across the province leading to the convention at Maple Leaf Gardens at the end of the month, where about 2,300 delegates will select a replacement for McGuinty, who announced his retirement Oct. 15.

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